Campaign Spotlight: I’ve Got Your Back!

Have you heard about the awesome bystander campaign from our sister organization, Hollaback![1]? I know it’s been out for a while, but I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately as I’ve been delving into some bystander[2]-focused prevention work. The I’ve Got Your Back![3] campaign to promote bystander intervention offers opportunities for anyone to be an engaged citizen and do their part in ending street harassment[4].

I heard about this new campaign last November when I attended a workshop with Emily May, co-founder and Executive Director of Hollaback![1]. And I had one thought: genius! Hollaback![1] was already doing great work worldwide with their focus on helping individuals harness the power of social media to call out individuals who harass them on the street. By sharing their stories[5], these individuals shed light on the issue and also let others know that they are not alone. It’s a great way to challenge cultural norms around street harassment. But they’ve taken it one step further. Working with Green Dot[6], they now offer a way to capture moments where individuals stand up to street harassment. Using the website[5] and mobile apps[7] (for iPhone and Droid), active bystanders can document their success stories. The campaign also offers the opportunity for people to click an “I’ve Got Your Back” button[8] under the stories shared by individuals who’ve experience street harassment, creating a community of support for those individuals. This campaign gives everyone the chance to be an active participant in the elimination of all forms of street harassment. How exciting is that?